Celebrate World Water Day by Surfing a 14-Foot Wave Made of Plastic Bottles in San Francisco

For the past 20 years, the world has observed World Water Day on March 22nd – and to mark the occasion this year, the Dopper Foundation has erected a 14-foot wave made from reclaimed plastic bottles in San Francisco. The wave, which is made from about 6,000 single-use plastic bottles, has a surfboard attached to it, and visitors are invited to surf the wave of plastic. The event is aimed at raising awareness about the effect that single-use plastic bottles are having on our oceans. Want to ride the wave? Head over to San Francisco’s UN Plaza!

At least 60 billion single-use plastic bottles are used each year in the US, and about three-fourths of them are thrown out after just one use. As a result, plastic bottles have become one of the most common types of trash found on beaches and in the oceans. With the 14-foot wave made from plastic bottles, the Dopper Foundation is trying to raise awareness about how individual actions can help prevent plastic waste from entering the environment.

To build the sculpture, 6,000 single-use plastic bottles were attached to a metal frame that was built by sculptor Marco Cochrane. Visitors can stand on a surfboard attached to the base of the wave and have their photo taken. All the photos that are taken today will be used to create a stop-motion video that will be released later tonight.

Dopper, a company that produces reusable water bottles and promotes the use of tap water, is the force behind the plastic wave. Their bottles are produced in Holland and they have a net zero carbon footprint. “UN Plaza is the ideal location for our World Water Day campaign,” said Irene Rompa, co-founder Dopper US, in a release. The United Nations General Assembly established World Water Day in 1993 to highlight the challenges associated with water.